Electrical connectors comprise nonconductive housings having at least one electrically conductive terminal mounted therein. Each terminal comprises a mating end constructed to enable electrical connection with the mating end of another terminal The opposed end of each terminal defines a conductor engaging end which is constructed to electrically and mechanically connect to a conductive lead in a wire, cable or the like. Mateable male and female terminals typically are mounted in dedicated receptacle and plug housings respectively. The housings may perform many functions, including protecting and positioning the terminals, guiding the terminals into a mated condition and/or locking the connectors in a mated condition.
Electrical connectors have been miniaturized drastically in recent years to conform with the corresponding miniaturization of circuits and electrical components. Despite the smaller dimensions, it is necessary for connectors to consistently provide high quality electrical connections and to ensure sufficient strain relief for preventing unintended separation of the wires from the terminals and connector housings.
The electronics industry is extremely competitive, and even small improvements in performance, cost or ease of assembly and disassembly can be very significant. There is of a course a logical and direct connection between the ease of assembly and disassembly and the total labor cost of a product. Furthermore, an easily assemblable product is not likely to be assembled improperly.
Some electrically conductive terminals can achieve assembly efficiency by avoiding the need to strip insulation from the end of a wire and crimp the terminal thereto. In particular, insulation displacement terminals (ID terminals) include insulation displacement structures for piercing and/or displacing the insulation on a wire to enable the terminal to achieve appropriate electrical connection with the electrically conductive leads of the wire. The typical ID terminal comprises a slot defined by opposed blades The insulated wire is advanced axially into an appropriate location aligned with the slot, and then is advanced transversely into the slot. The transverse movement of the wire into the slot enables the blades of the terminal to displace the insulation and make electrical connection with the conductors in the wire.
An extremely effective prior art ID terminal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,619 which issued to Helen Dechelette on Apr. 23, 1985 and which is assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,619 is incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the terminal of U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,619 comprises a collapsible conductor engaging end into which an insulated wire may be axially inserted A plurality of the terminals shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,619 may be mounted in a housing. A corresponding plurality of insulated wires are then axially advanced into the conductor engaging ends of the respective terminals. The wires may be mass terminated with the help of application tooling which causes specified locations on the terminals to collapse inwardly The collapsed portions of the terminals displace the insulation on the wires sufficiently to achieve high quality electrical connection with the conductors in the respective wires.
Electrical connectors must avoid placing excessive strain on the critical connection between the conductor of the wire and the terminal. Superior strain relief protection is particularly important for ID terminals. It is also important to ensure that the terminals are positively positioned and retained in the associated housing. This can be achieved with a two-part housing comprising a front mating portion and a rear cover which may be lockingly retained to one another with the terminals securely disposed therebetween. Two-part housings conceivably could result in assembly errors and inefficiencies. Therefore it is known to provide two-part housings having a pre-load position that permits the insertion of terminals therein, and a second locked position that lockingly retains the terminals and assures proper positioning. The two-part housing may be sold as an assembly in the pre-load position The purchaser may then insert the terminals and leads into the two-part housing and urge the housing components into their fully seated position to lockingly retain the terminals and assure proper terminal positioning.
One such two-part connector assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,662 which issued to Klein on Nov. 24, 1987. The connector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,662 includes crimpable terminals that are crimped to the respective stripped wire leads prior to insertion into a housing. The connector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,662 includes a housing having an outer wall spaced from the remainder of the housing to define an envelope for receiving a deflectable latch arm of a terminal retainer. The inside of the envelope is characterized by two spaced apart latching bosses The first latching boss extends inwardly from the outer wall of the envelope, while the second latching boss extends outwardly from the inner wall of the envelope The outwardly extending latch boss is disposed and dimensioned to urge the latch arm of the terminal retainer outwardly for engagement with the forward edge of the outer wall This complex structure makes it extremely difficult to separate the housing components from one another Such separation often is required if it is determined that one or more terminals is not properly connected to its insulated lead or is somehow damaged during assembly or use.
The housings of most electrical connectors are injection molded in complex molding processes requiring expensive injection molds. It is desirable, wherever possible, to provide connector housing that will minimize the number of distinct molded components. This reduces the number of molds needed and can simplify inventory control.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an electrical connector assembly for insulation displacement terminals.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having a forward housing portion and a rear housing portion that are lockably engageable with one another and that are easily separable from one another.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a system of electrical connectors that minimizes the number of distinct components and that facilitates inventory control.
An additional object of the subject invention is to provide an improved insulation displacement terminal
A further object of the subject invention is to provide an insulation displacement terminal having enhanced strain relief capabilities.
Still a further object of the subject invention is to provide an insulation displacement terminal having enhanced strength and an efficient and strong transition from a rectangular rearward wire engaging portion to a cylindrical forward mating portion.